


Closer to You

by dupergal



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (i'm adding that just to be safe but i don't actually talk about the nudity at all), Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Firefighter Shiro, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Nudity, Sheith Positivity Week 2017, Summer Festival, merman Keith, more tags to be added as the week goes on, rating may be changed as the week goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-06 18:13:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11606169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dupergal/pseuds/dupergal
Summary: Keith is a merman who happens upon Shiro one day on the beach and becomes smitten with him. This is the story of how they come together and fall in love, slowly but deeply.~written for Sheith Positivity Week 2017~Day 1:Sky/SeaDay 2:Sun/StarsDay 3:Thunderstorm/Summer RainDay 4:Popsicles/FireworksDay 5/6:Swimming/Hiking + Relaxation/Recreation





	1. Sky/Sea

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in so long so I decided to challenge myself and participate in the Sheith Positivity Week! Technically this fic is a little late but I only learned about this week today so....i'm justifying it to myself. This is going to be a little multi-chaptered fic about merman!Keith and firefighter!Shiro
> 
> In this fic, Keith is half-human, half-merman, so I decided to use the trope a la H2O where if he dries out all the way, his tail can turn to legs. This won't apply to the first chapter, but may for subsequent chapters.

Keith stretched his arms over his head, back arching against the sun-warmed rock, flicking his tail lazily in the water. The sky is splattered in beautiful colours, shining with oranges and pinks as the sun begins its descent below the horizon. Keith opens his eyes just enough to watch the light refract of his scales, loving the look of them shining red rather than the dark purple they appear while he’s underwater. It’s part of the reason why he enjoys sunning himself above water around this time of day. Well, that, but also…

The gentle splashing of water appears from behind him, like the sound of someone stepping in. Keith immediately flips onto his stomach and pokes his head over the top of the rock, sucking in a breath. A human man stands in the shallows, pants rolled up to above his knees, his bare, muscular chest and arms shining golden in the dying light. A gentle, salty breeze blows across the water, ruffling the white tuft of bands that brushes against the thick scar on his nose. He sighs, rolling his shoulders, tipping his head back, a smile stretching slowly across his face. He steps further into the ocean. The water laps at his knees, threatening to soak his pants.

Keith has been coming to this beach every day for the last week to (spy) look at this beautiful man. At first the trips so far from where he was find any sort of privacy, to get away from the scathing looks of other merfolk who sneered at him for being a half-breed. The rocks near this beach had become his solace, and a lovely place to catch some rays.

And then he had shown up, stripping off his shirt and depositing it in the sand, along with some sort of metal thing that makes up the lower half of his arm, revealing a stump that tapers off at the elbow. He’d stand in the water, head tipped back and that soft smile on his face until the sky became laced with dark purples and blues and the first signs of stars surfaced in the darkness. He’d walk out, put on his shirt and prosthetic, and, with one last look out at the ocean, like he was searching for something, turn and walk back up the beach.  
Keith remembers the heat he’d felt run through him when he first saw this man and blushes at the thought.

There was no way around it: the man was attractive, and Keith was smitten.

And he wanted to know more. He wanted to learn this man’s name; wanted to know the story of his arm; wanted to have him teach him about human life. Half of his heritage was on land, yet he knew nothing: this may be his only chance.

Keith sees the man close his eyes and knows this is his chance. He slips smoothly into the sea, gliding under the waves towards the next rock. He can see the man’s muscular calves, and stops for a moment to watch his toes curl and uncurl into the soft sand. He breaks the surface and peers around, now situated slightly to the man’s left. From his closer angle he can see that there are more scars that criss-cross around the man’s body, thick and pink, like they never healed properly. Keith frowned and his brows crease. Add that to the list of things he wants to know more about.

He unconsciously smacks his tail fin against the water, the wet slap sounding like a crack of thunder in the silence, the echo deafening. The man’s eyes fly open and he whips his head around. He drops into a wider stance, left arm curling into a fist.

“Who’s there?” he calls, voice a deep, lovely rumble. “Show yourself!”

Keith curses under his breath. This is not the sort of first impression he wanted to give. He takes a deep breath and breathes out slowly. You can do this. Shaking some of the water out of his hair, Keith leans out from his hiding spot and clears his throat loudly. 

The man’s head turns towards the sound, grey eyes narrowed but still soft. Keith’s breath catches again.

The man takes a step towards him. Only a small amount of tension has dropped from his form. “Who are you?” he asks. “What are you doing out here?” 

Keith pulls himself around the rock so he can full face towards the man, careful to keep his tail hidden, at least for now. He doesn’t miss how the man’s eyes quickly rake across his chest before returning to his eyes. Keith can feel himself flushing but tries not to let it affect him. “My name is-” he clears his throat again willing his voice to be stronger and not sound so garbled. “My name is Keith, and I was swimming. Isn’t that people do in the ocean?” he shrugs, crossing his arms. “Who are you?”

Once Keith is fully in view, the man relaxes significantly, returning to his full height. His face relaxes again, a soft yet sheepish smile pulling across his face. He runs his hand quickly through his hair. Keith admires how the white locks shift through the tanned skin of his fingers. “Keith,” he says. Keith almost combusts with how nice it sounds to have this man’s voice saying his name. “I’m sorry for being so accusatory. I, uh, I didn’t think anyone knew about this place, so I expected I was alone.” His smile widens, engulfing Keith in a feeling of warmth and love a thousand times greater than that of the setting sun. He feels like he’s melting. “I’m Shiro.”

Shiro. The name sounds beautiful in his head. Keith bets it’ll sound even nicer coming out of his mouth. “Shiro,” he repeats, feeling the roll of unfamiliar syllables on his tongue. He wants to keep saying it over and over. “That’s a nice name.” He pushes off the rock and swims towards Shiro, letting his tail break through the waves as he moves. He smirks as he watches Shiro’s eyes widen in disbelief and his jaw go slack.

“Keith, are you a…” Shiro’s voice trails off, gaze glued to Keith’s red scales, to the smooth movement of his body.

“Yup,” he says, smirking. He swims right past Shiro, purposefully swatting him with his fin, and pulls himself up on the edge of the beach. Shiro steps back slowly, eyes never leaving Keith’s form, until he’s close enough to flop back to sit at Keith’s side.

“Wow.” Shiro reaches out with his left hand towards Keith’s tail. Keith cocks an eyebrow at him. “Ah, I’m sorry,” Shiro blushes, his scar blending in with the pink. Oh my god, he’s so cute, Keith thinks. “I’m just....excited. My grandma used to tell me all kinds of stories about merfolk, so to find out that they’re real…” he trails off again.

Suddenly, Keith’s hand is gripping Shiro’s wrist and pulling it towards his tail. He finds that he actually wants Shiro to touch. “It’s fine, you can touch it.”

The shock is clear on Shiro’s face, and Keith realizes he maybe should’ve warned him. It feels like it everything happens in slow motion: Keith pulling on his arm makes Shiro unbalanced, and without another hand to steady himself, he has no choice but to fall towards Keith. Keith leans back as he pulls, and before he knows it, Shiro is lying on top of him, chest to chest, Shiro’s soft, white bangs brushing against Keith’s nose. Shiro’s hand is pressed into the sand by Keith’s shoulder, his wrist still firmly locked in Keith’s grip.

For a moment they just stare at each other, drinking in the warmth of their bodies pressed together, memorizing the colour of the other’s eyes and the shape of their nose. Keith watches the flush on Shiro’s cheeks move to his ears and down to his chest, and knows his is doing the same. 

“I’m...sorry...” Keith whispers slowly, eyes flitting down to Shiro’s lips, then back to his eyes. “I should’ve...warned you…”

Shiro soft smile fills his vision. “It’s alright, I’m not really the most balanced person when I only have half an arm.” He chuckles and waves his stump a little. Keith loosens his grip on Shiro’s wrist and Shiro pushes himself up (reluctantly, Keith’s brain supplies) and sits back beside Keith, their hips touching, Shiro’s hand gently pressed against the side of his tail.

They sit in silence, watching the sun dip lower and lower below the horizon. After a few minutes, Shiro asks, “So, why did you reveal yourself to me? You seem pretty smart, so it wasn’t on accident.” Keith’s blush had finally almost gone away when it returns full force, He looks away and covers his face. “Keith?” he asks again.

Keith’s brain scrambles for an excuse. He hadn’t actually thought this all through. “I...I…” he breathes out and blurts, “I was out suntanning on one of the rocks one night and I saw you walking out into the water and I thought you were really handsome so I started coming out every night to watch you and I finally decided to approach you because I want to get to know you and did you know I’m actually half human and I want to learn more about human culture and-” Keith slaps both hands over himself, effectively cutting himself off. He stares wide-eyed at Shiro, face looking like the crimson of his tail in the dying light.

Shiro regards him for a second, eyes soft but impassive. All of a sudden, he smirks.

“So, you think I’m handsome?”

“Shut up!”

Keith laughs and pushes at Shiro’s shoulders, sending him into the sand. He laughs harder when Shiro sits back up, his back and chest covered with white powder where he was still wet. Shiro’s laugh quickly joins his, and they relax together and tease each other as the sun disappears and the stars paint the night sky.


	2. Sun/Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS LATE AGAIN BUT IT'S FINE!!!! I hope you enjoy what is essentially a word dump because I barely had any time to write today and I'm sad :C Perhaps in the future I will come back and fix things up and write this more eloquently >_>

Annoyed.

Keith grits his teeth and smacks his fin against the rock, ignoring the unfamiliar ache that rockets up his tail. He’d wanted this to be a surprise, but as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, closer to when Shiro was expected to arrive, the more his spirits dropped and the anger and annoyance bubbled.

It’d been a month since he had first officially met Shiro, and since then they’d seen each other almost every day. Keith would pull himself up on the beach like on the first night and they would lie there talking for hours, the water lapping gently at the tip of Keith’s tail and pushing through Shiro’s toes.

But Keith wanted more. He wanted to feel the sand like Shiro did; he wanted to go places beyond the coastline; he wanted to hold Shiro’s hand and walk somewhere, like he’d heard of in the stories.

Keith wanted legs.

There was a tale the the elders told in his kingdom, one that he’d listened to with rapt fascination. It described how a beautiful human woman and a handsome merman had fallen in love. The woman soon gave birth to a child with human legs; but when the child’s legs touched water, it became a tail. When the child became fully dry, the tail once again became a pair of legs. Most merfolk believed this special power to be a myth, but Keith had always wondered if it was true. 

Now, he finally had a reason to try.

He’d woken himself up at dawn to put his plan in motion. There was a little cove that got a generous amount of sunlight that he could lie in and dry off while remaining mostly hidden from view. Keith had only just settled himself into the sand when he’d heard the shrieking of a child on the beach, and the subsequent smack of small footsteps heading in his direction. Keith dove into the water in a frenzied panic, surfacing a distance away just in time to see a chubby child in a sunflower-print bathing suit running into the cove, two girls slightly older girls chasing after. 

So here he was hours later, finally getting his tail in the sun after what felt like eternity. Keith sighs and settles himself deeper into the sand, letting his eyes flutter closed. The rays of the sun warm him to the bone, and he quickly dozes off.

*

Keith wakes to the feeling of a hand running gently through his hair. He hums and pushes back against the touch, hearing a soft chuckle coming from above. He opens his eyes slowly, trying to let them adjust to brightness of the day. Shiro’s face looks over him, smile bright as ever. Keith loved how his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled like that.

“Mornin’ sleepyhead,” Shiro says, moving his hand through Keith’s hair one final time before he pulls it away. Keith wishes he had stayed quiet for just a moment longer - he already missed the soft touch. “What’re you doing over here? I thought you didn’t like spending too much time out of the water during the day.”  
Keith sits up suddenly, narrowly avoiding smacking foreheads with Shiro in his rush. He looks down eagerly at his lower body, only to frown deeply. His tail is still almost fully intact - from what Keith can tell, only a few rows of scales had actually disappeared around his hips. It was a start, but it wasn’t nearly enough. He curses and crosses his arms angrily a pout forming on his lips. Shiro fixes him with a look that is equal parts confused and amused.

“Is...something wrong?”

Keith sighs loudly and tosses his hair, reminiscent of the way he would shake it when he surfaces. “I wanted to surprise you,” he murmurs. He plays with his tail in the sand, burrowing it below the top layer and lifting it onto his fins. “There’s a legend that says that the child of merfolk and human can switch between a tail and legs. I was going to dry myself out enough and try to…see if I could travel on land with you.”

He looks up to see a light blush across Shiro’s cheeks, his metal fist pressed to his mouth. Shiro looks at him for a second before scrambling to his feet. “I’ll be right back.” He ducks around the rocky crag of the cove and runs up the beach, sand spraying behind him. Keith shrugs and shook the sand off his tail, readjusting his position to make sure he maximized the sun. Shiro looked so cute, Keith thinks happily, smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Only a few minutes pass before Shiro returns, his arms full of fabric, hair windswept from sprinting.

“What’s all that?” Keith asks as Shiro plops to his knees beside him once again.

Shiro grins. “Towels. I have a ton in my truck for my visits here, I thought we could try to dry you off some more with them.” He drops the multi-coloured pile on Keith’s lap. “I also brought some of my spare clothes for you. If your tail does go away, well…” he trails off, red tinging his ears. Keith smirks at him.

“Well, let's see if your plan works.”

With the heat of the sun as their assistant, Keith and Shiro work together to rub at Keith’s tail. Keith’s face brightens more and more as his scales melt away. Within the hour, his tail is gone, and instead of red or purple, keith only sees pale brown. He laughs, feeling giddy and drunk on happiness, his anger and annoyance from the morning dissolved in the sea breeze. He drums his calves against the sand and buries his toes in deep, feeling the combination of scorching hot and deep cold all at once. The sensation of it squishing between his toes is so fascinating, he can’t get enough.

A silver hand appears in his vision. Keith turns his head up to Shiro and catches the sparkle in the man’s eyes. “It worked, Shiro! It really worked!” Keith laughs again. grasping Shiro’s hand in both of his and attempts to pull himself up. His face is hurting from smiling so much. Shiro’s other hand quickly wraps around Keith’s waist for extra support as Keith’s new appendages quake beneath him. They’ll take some getting used to, that’s for sure.

Keith leans heavily against Shiro, head pressed into Shiro’s chest. He’s surprised to see that Shiro is not much taller than he is. He sighs happily and just hugs himself to Shiro’s warm body, a tear sliding out from his eyes. He’s so excited he can’t can hardly believe it, let alone try to communicate it through words. 

The moment stretches out for a long time, until Keith’s legs get used to the weight and don’t shake anymore. Then Shiro clears his throat and motions at the clothes.

“Keith, ah, as much as I love just holding you like this, we need to get you in some clothes before I can take you anywhere.” 

Keith reluctantly detaches himself and they work together to get him dressed. He notices that Shiro is working extra hard to look away from his hips. Huh.

Once he’s fully clothed in Shiro’s over-sized t-shirt and shorts, Keith grabs both of Shiro’s hands in his own. “Shiro, I’m ready. Can we go?” Keith asks eagerly, shifting his weight from foot to foot, the corner of a towel brushing against his ankle

Shiro’s entire face lights up, and Keith is blinded by his radiance. “Let’s do it.”


	3. Thunderstorm/Summer Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually posting this on technically the right day, I'm so happy~ This chapter was originally going to make up all of the previous one, but since I ran out of time yesterday I decided to split them up, and oh boy am I glad I did, because this one ended up being a doozy in comparison!!
> 
> ALSO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS LEFT ME A KUDOS AND COMMENTS!!!! It's been so long since I've actually written and posted something so having such amazing feedback fills me with so much joy and reassurance that I haven't lost my ability to write. I'm going to reply to every comment so if I haven't gotten back to you yet, I will do so tomorrow!! Thanks again <3

Being on land was, in one word, exhilarating. Or exhausting, depending on how Keith chose to look at it. Everything was so different from what he knew: from the flowers perking up through cracks in grey stone, their bright colours providing a stark but welcome contrast; to the small, charming houses and storefronts, where people smiled and handed out food items and human children kicked balls back and forth; to even the taste of the air, much different without the cling of salt. There was so much _life_ so close to his beach and he would have never known. He drank in everything, eyes wide and curious. Keith didn't want to miss a single detail

Walking, however, was a lot harder than he expected it to be, especially since it seemed as though there was nowhere with ground that was _actually_ flat or free of obstacles for him to trip over. Shiro walked closely beside him the whole time, their shoulders brushing, his hands gripping Keith’s elbow and upper arm whenever he stumbled. Well, maybe there was one advantage to the uneven ground.

After a quick stop at Shiro’s apartment to pick up slightly better fitting clothes for Keith (and an agonizing ride in the metal beast Shiro explained was called a “car”, and that who’s side he rubbed affectionately when Keith protested against) he’d demanded to explore the the town and do “human things”. He wasn't sure how long these legs of his would last, so he wanted to make the most of the time he had.

They walked from Shiro’s apartment into the small town he lives in. They hold hands as they walk, keeping their pace slow to help Keith and let him take in all the sights. More flowers bloom in wooden boxes underneath shuttered windows painted pale blues, greens and pinks. People lounge in thick chairs nursing steaming cups and engaging each other in conversation. Many of them wave to Shiro as the two of them pass, and Shiro returns each one with a genuine smile and a wave of his own.

“How come everyone seems to know you?” Keith asks, tightening his fingers around Shiro’s metal ones.

Shiro shrugs. “Small towns are very tight knit, even more so when you work at the fire station. So many people are affected by a fire that word gets around quickly. You may have directly helped one family, but all of their family and friends are affected, too, and so suddenly you become well-known, I guess.”

Shiro first takes him to the fire station where he works, since Keith had mentioned wanting to see where he spends the time when he’s not with Keith. He is immediately enraptured by the fire trucks, the metal shined and waxed so much that it reminds them of his tail. They’re much better than Shiro’s weird little car, he decides. Shiro laughs when he gets Keith behind the wheel at his satisfied face. Shiro’s co-workers keep their distance, but Keith can see them smiling and chatting happily with each other from the corner, stealing glances at him and Shiro every so often. Keith brims with pride.

From there, Shiro takes him to his favourite spots to visit when he’s not at work or with Keith. They start with a coffee shop with a cute nautical theme of white and blue and red, motifs of ships and mermaids lining the walls, where Keith tries coffee and can’t decide if he loves it or hates it. He drinks the whole cup anyway. Next is a bookstore filled head-to-toe with books, so much so that some of them are shoved into random cracks and crevices just to contain them all. A shaggy, golden dog trots up to Keith, tongue hanging out of its mouth and tail wagging happily. He glances at Shiro for confirmation that it’s ok, the tentatively reaches out his hand to pet the dog’s head, smiling when he feels the soft fur on his palm. Shiro explains that it’s the owner’s dog who likes to cuddle with people who read in the store and help them with their book selections. The last stop is a hole-in-the-wall mini arcade, where Shiro challenges Keith to a game of Galaga and collapses to the floor in defeat when Keith somehow wins.

  
By this time, the sun is starting to set and Keith’s stomach growls. He slaps his hands over it, looking sheepish. “Sorry, guess I’m hungry.”

Shiro checks a little device on his wrist that supposedly tells humans what time of the day it is. “Is it this late already? Guess it’s time for dinner.” He grabs Keith’s wrist. “C’mon, I know a great place!” He starts to jog, pulling Keith and his shaky legs along with him.

The “great place” turns out to be a place called _Francisco’s_ , the neon-green light blinking above the door as they walk in. Keith is greeted with a greasy smell that makes his mouth water and his stomach rumble even more. With a grin, Shiro orders them two slices of something called “cheese pizza” from the young-looking cashier, who goes through a door only to return with two huge pieces of dough and cheese.

They eat outside on rickety chairs. Keith learns that he _loves_ pizza, and Shiro is delighted. He gobbles up his slice probably too quickly but can’t find it in himself to regret it as he sucks grease off his fingers. He leans back, satisfied with his meal and the company, and closes his eyes. He’s beginning to feel the call of the sea like annoying itch in the back of his skull. He should probably head back soon, but he glances at Shiro taking a huge, stringy bite of pizza and feels a pang in his chest. He doesn’t want to go back, he realizes. Not yet.

But Shiro understands his situation too well. He notices the stars starting to pop into existence and quickly finishes his pizza. “You need to go back, right?” Keith can’t help but notice that he looks a little sad. It’s a beat late, but Keith nods.

“Yeah, probably.”

“Looks like there’s a storm brewing, too,” Shiro says, pointing at a dark swatch of clouds blowing their way. “Last thing we want is for you to get caught in that this far away.” He gathers up their paper plates and napkins and deposits them in a bin, then reaches for Keith’s hand. He has a little bit of pizza sauce on his cheek. _How is he so cute?_ Keith asks himself as he stands and settles his hand back in Shiro’s, slotting in like it belongs there.

*

They plop themselves in the cooling sand well away from the reach of the ocean. Keith snuggled into Shiro’s side, clasping his hand tightly. After a quick walk back to Shiro’s and a drive in the (scary) car, they’d finally made it back to Keith’s beach. Now that they were so close to the sea the calling in Keith’s head had grown louder, coercing him back into the waves. Please, just a little bit longer, Keith thinks as Shiro curls into his warmth, a foot pressed between both of Keith’s.

They don’t speak as they stare up at the stars, watching the dark clouds Shiro had spotted at the restaurant creep closer and closer. It was definitely going to rain, and soon. Relief washes over him. He’d spent the last few hours since Shiro had mentioned the storm conjuring up horrible scenarios - ones where he had been caught by the rain in the middle of the street, flopping uselessly on the pavement as passersby laughed and regarded him like an item on display.

Keith turns his head slightly to peek at Shiro’s face, smiling at the sight. The man’s face was soft and relaxed, his lips turned up at the corners. His eyes rested half-lidded, sleepy, but their was energy and happiness laced through his features. Shiro adjusted himself in the sand, white tuft of hair flopping towards his right eye. Keith’s hand twitched with the urge to push it away.

Suddenly, Shiro’s face lit up, eyes widening with alertness, and he pointed upwards. “Keith! Look!” A breathless laugh laced his words, the joy in it catching Keith off-guard. He followed Shiro’s direction just in time to see a star shooting across the sky from behind a thick grey cloud like it was sprinting from a swarm of flies.

Shiro caught Keith’s gaze and smiled at him. He shifted onto his side and Keith followed suit. Their clasped hands rest on small bit of sand between them.

“Make a wish,” Shiro says softly. Keith wrinkles his nose.

“What?”

“A wish! It’s a human tradition: whenever you see a shooting star you have to make a wish, and if you’re lucky, it might come true.”

Keith scoffs and tosses his hair. “Well that sounds impractical, why wish for something when there’s a chance it won’t work?” Oh no, Shiro’s pouting now. He knows what that does to Keith. He sighs. “Fine, I’ll make a wish.” There’s no mistaking how his stomach flips when Shiro’s expression changes to one of excitement.

Keith closes his eyes and thinks for a minute. The sounds of the crashing waves fill his ears with sound but he can still hear Shiro’s soft breathing. He’s so close and yet he’s not close enough. Keeping his eyes shut, Keith says, “I wish you would kiss me.”

He hears Shiro suck in a sharp breath and lets his eyes flutter open. Shiro’s face is as dark as the red coral of the reefs near his home. He’s holding his breath, waiting to see what Shiro does. His stomach drops as the seconds tick by and Shiro seems no closer to fulfilling his wish. Keith knits his eyebrows together. “Did I do something wrong?”

As if snapping himself out of a daze, Shiro shakes his head and laughs, the sound deep and rumbly, coming from the middle of his chest. Keith notices that his ears are red, too. “You know,” Shiro starts, scooting himself closer so that his forehead is resting against Keith’s. Keith’s throat goes dry.. “They say that if you say your wish out loud, it basically guarantee that it won’t come true.” Keith’s eyes flit down to Shiro’s lips, to his slightly open mouth, back up to those warm grey eyes.

Keith watches those eyes disappear behind Shiro’s lids as he tips his head forward, his lips brushing Keith’s in a soft caress. The salt in the air lingers between their mouths as Shiro slots them together, and Keith lets his eyes closed as well. Shiro is gentle, oh so gentle, like Keith learned he always tries to be. He feels like fireworks are going off in his brain. It feels so good and so _right_ to be like this with Shiro: he wants to cling to this moment for the rest of his life and never let it go, never let time move on or have to return to the ocean, and he doesn’t care as long as he gets to spend the rest of eternity like this.

Shiro pulls away slightly, his lips wet, their breaths mingling in the meagre space between them. Keith uses his other hand to brush Shiro’s bangs out of his eyes like he wanted to earlier.

“Whoever said that must be a liar,” Keith whispers, loving the feel of Shiro’s laugh against his lips before he dips back in for another kiss.

Keith doesn’t notice the first drops of rain, too preoccupied with keeping Shiro’s lips on his. As if it’s upset at being ignored, the drops quickly turn into a torrential downpour, making Keith gasp into Shiro’s mouth. He sits up, hands flying to his thighs only to feel the bumpy texture of his scales as his legs fuse back together into his tail, gleaming dark purple in the low light. The pain is short lived but strong, and Keith grits his teeth against it. He feels Shiro’s hands on his back just as quickly, rubbing at his shoulder blades through the soaked red t-shirt.

“Guess it’s time for you to go home, huh?” says Shiro. With little effort, Shiro lifts Keith up bridal style and cradles him close to his chest, smirking when Keith yelps and clings to his shoulders.

“What the hell, Shiro? I can take care of myself.”

Shiro grins mischievously. “Thought I’d walk you home. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do after a first date.” Keith rolls his eyes exasperatedly as Shiro trudges through the wet sand and steps into the ocean.

“You’re such a dork.”

“I try.”

Shiro kneels down and gently sets Keith in the water. Keith almost cries in relief, the feeling of being immersed again soothing a sort of ache he didn’t realize he had.

Keith rests his hands on Shiro’s thighs and surges up, capturing Shiro’s lips one final time. He wants to make sure Shiro remembers this. “Good-night, Shiro,” Keith whispers, feeling Shiro shudder beneath him. He reluctantly pulls himself away and lets the waves carry him deeper into the water. Shiro doesn’t move, doesn’t take his eyes off him, kneeling and letting the summer rain pound down on his head.

It’s then that Keith remembers. “Shiro!” he shouts, hoping he can hear him over the rushing water. “What did you wish for?”

Shiro grins. “Not telling!” he shouts back, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Can’t risk it not coming true!”

“You’re unbelievable!” Keith laughs. Shiro becomes smaller and smaller as he floats away, his stomach pooling with warmth. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Shiro responds with a wave, and then Keith dips under the waves and disappears from sight.

*

Shiro presses his left hand to his mouth once Keith is gone, trying to savour the taste of him, the warmth of his lips.

_I wish that you could stay with me forever._


	4. Popsicles/Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay more Sheith fluff and more of Keith's adventures on land o/ I really wanted to write about a Japanese summer _matsuri_ so I guess Shiro lives in Japan. A magical version of Japan where two boys can hold hands and be cute in public.

Keith pulls the black garment of clothing over his shoulders and frowns. Leaving the garment open, he looks quizzically at the white strip of fabric laying on Shiro’s bed, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. He’d told Shiro he could figure out how to put this on; it looked simple enough from the pictures he’d been shown, but it was leaps and bounds above the clothing he’d been wearing up until now, and Keith was embarrassed to admit that he had no idea what he was doing. Sighing, he throws the fabric back on the bed and walks to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room. His reflection stares back at him judgingly and he narrows his eyes. Keith grabs the two sides that hung down his chest and tries to cross them over again. Was it supposed to be crossed this way or the other way? Keith had already forgotten.

A few days ago, Shiro had asked Keith if he wanted to attend the town’s summer festival. According to Shiro, it was the highlight of the summer and the whole town would be there. He then launched in an energetic description of traditional song and dance, colourful food stalls and clothing, and fireworks to cap off the night. Seeing Shiro so excited had sparked something in Keith, and as the day approached he found himself looking more and more forward to the event.

And now here he was, struggling with something Shiro called a  _ yukata _ , which he explained was a summer  _ kimono _ traditionally worn for festivals. Keith dropped the cloth again, resigned to defeat, and turned so he could look over his shoulder in the mirror. The  _ yukata _ was a crimson red that heavily reminded him of his scales. Images of  _ koi _ fish swam in a never-ending pattern of black and white lines over the entire cloth, which cut off right around his ankles. The fabric was soft and comfortable on his skin. If only it wasn’t so deceptively difficult to put on.

There was a soft knock at the door. “Keith?” Shiro pushed it open and poked his head through. He’d combed back his white bangs but a few stray strands still fell across his nose. “Are you doing ok?”

Keith huffed and crossed his arms. “I know I said I knew what I was doing, but I don’t. Please help me?”

Shiro shook his head, walking into the room. “You’re unbelievable.” Shiro’s smile said otherwise. He was also dressed up in  _ yukata _ , black with dark purple polka dots scattered across it. It was done up with a purple strip of fabric across his stomach. The colour made the metal of his prosthetic gleam; the cut hugged the curves of his shoulders and his broad chest. It made Keith swallow around a lump in his throat.

Keith pouts as Shiro unhooks one of Keith’s arms and draws him in his direction. He picks up the cloth on the bed, draping it over his forearm as he takes Keith’s  _ yukata _ in hand, crossing it expertly and tying the cloth over with a flourish. He takes a small step back and grins at his handiwork. Keith runs a hand through his hair self-consciously.

“You look beautiful,” Shiro says, the words sounding breathless. HIs face is pink, has been since he walked peeked through the door Keith flushes and looks away.

“So do you.”

Taking Keith gingerly by the wrist, Shiro walks him to the front door and gives him a pair of floppy shoes with only a thin plastic piece holding them on. “They’re called flip-flops,” Shiro explains at Keith’s confused gaze. He watches Shiro put on his own pair and copies him. They’re surprisingly comfy. Keith wriggles his toe in them, liking the freedom they bring. 

The street is filled with the soft light of lanterns when they exit Shiro’s apartment building. The storefronts are all closed for the night but they still seem to glow with the contagious energy around them. The air is filled with a mixture of smells, most of which Keith can’t recognize. Children chase each other with sparklers, the light casting shadows in the folds of their patterned  _ yukatas _ ; young couples hold hands and walk slowly towards the bright spot in the near distance where the true festivities began. Excitement wells up within Keith, filling him like the warm tea he’d had in Shiro’s kitchen, and he pulls them off the stairs, seamlessly integrating them into the crowd. He cuddles in close to Shiro, leaning his head on the man’s shoulder. Shiro responds by wrapping an arm around Keith’s waist, humming softly.

*

Despite Shiro’s description, Keith isn’t prepared for the full extent of the summer festival. First of all, it’s so  _ loud _ : children giggling, vendors hawking their wares, groups of young people simultaneously talking yet yelling over one another, the pounding of drums in an insistent beat - it’s almost too much for Keith to take. There was too much going on, he couldn’t focus. The bright reds, oranges, and yellows of food stalls mix into a kaleidoscope with floral  _ yukata’s _ and the intense light of sparklers, overwhelming him to the point where he has to squeeze his eyes shut. Shiro must have felt the tension rolling through his body, as he starts to stroke reassuringly down Keith’s arm, murmuring encouragement in his ear.

“Do you want to go?” asks Shiro, his expression matching the concern laced in his voice. “This is probably a lot for you to take in, it’s okay if you can’t handle it.”

Keith shakes his head and opens his eyes, brows set in a tense, yet determined, line. “No, I want to do this. This festival means a lot to you and your people right? I came here to learn about who you, so that’s what I’m going to do.” He ruffles his hands through his hair again. “I want to stay, let’s just…take it slow.”

He loops his arm around Shiro’s and slots his hand back to where it belongs. They start at the vendors on the right, where the smell of fried goods makes Keith momentarily forget about the crowded place he’s in as his mouth waters. Shiro tells him to indulge freely, and they end up squeezed onto a picnic table with a young family, sharing piles of food between them:  _ yakisoba, yakitori, azuki taiyaki, _ and even some  _ takoyaki _ after Keith explains that they sometimes eat octopus in his kingdom. Keith gobbles it all down, savouring every bite - octopus definitely tastes better when it’s fried, he decides.

Once finished, they head towards the sounds of live music and watch the performance what Shiro explains are  _ taiko _ drummers. Keith is fascinated by how the sounds of the drumming, the leaders calls, and the way the drummer’s arms stretch and move as they perform is extremely compelling. It’s not until the last beat fades away and the drummers bow that Keith comes back to himself, blinking a few times before looking up at Shiro, who hasn’t said a word for a while.

“Woah... how long have we been here for?” Keith asks, Shiro checks his watch.

“About ten minutes. You seemed to be enjoying yourself so I didn’t want to bother you.”

“Sorry for making you just...stand here with me,” says Keith sheepishly.

Shiro waves a hand nonchalantly. “Don’t beat yourself up over it, I understand it’s enrapturing. There’s a certain charm to  _ taiko _ performances that I’ve always loved, so I understand how you feel.” He leans in and kisses Keith’s hair reassuringly, and Keith relaxes exponentially.

The rest of the festival seems to be just killing time until the fireworks start. They wander over to the game stalls, where Keith is unexpectedly good at games that involve throwing. He wins Shiro a stuffed animal, grinning when Shiro hides behind his hands as he accepts the gift, blush painting his ears. Keith then proceeds to have a loud argument with the older lady running the goldfish scooping station about the ethical rights of fish, which is increasingly more intense and awkward when he has to stand a generous distance away from the tub to avoid getting his legs splashed by the children eagerly trying to stuff scoop up multiple goldfish at once.

By this point, the sky has grown dark, accentuating the glow of the lanterns and the heat rising off the booths. “The fireworks will start soon,” Shiro murmurs against the shell of his ear. Keith tries and fails to hold back a shiver. “Let’s go some place quieter.” Keith nods, and Shiro leads them off a side path to a grassy hill that slowly phases into beach and then ocean. They settle themselves at the top while other couples start to file in, leaving enough space between to give off the illusion of privacy. Keith and Shiro lie down in the grass; Keith sighs as the breeze cools his hot skin.

“Festivals are exhausting,” Keith admits, running the long sleeve of his  _ yukata _ across his forehead.

“They are, but that’s what makes it so much fun.” Keith moves in closer, head laying on Shiro’s shoulder. There’s commotion on the beach far below, where festival volunteers are setting up the fireworks. They’ll have an amazing view from here, Keith realizes.

They lie there in treasured silence for a few minutes and just watch as the volunteers work. There’s so much that goes into this event; Keith can appreciate why Shiro likes it so much. He catches Shiro’s gaze on him from the corner of his eye and gifts him a smile. Shiro’s eyes widen just a fraction, but enough to know that something has changed.

“Shiro are you -”

“Keith, will you stay the night with me?” Shiro blurts. Keith stares at him in stunned silence as the first firework bursts, showering Shiro’s face with red and purple light. Cheers rise up around them from the crowd but Keith suddenly can’t hear, can’t take in anything but Shiro as he rolls onto his chest and kisses him hard, swallowing Shiro’s surprised groan.

Their kiss seems to stretch for an eternity, and yet it’s also no time at all when Keith pulls away. Keith can see his reflection in Shiro’s eyes, can see the fireworks bursting in green and blue and yellow without even having to look.

“I’m not ready to let you go back yet,” Shiro confesses, finishing his thought from earlier.

Keith hums and settles himself fully on Shiro’s chest, face finally turned to watch the fireworks in person. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

Shiro wraps his strong arms around him and presses a kiss to Keith’s forehead that’s so full of tender, loving care that Keith is worried he’s going to melt right into the grass. They grow silent once again as they watch the colour bursting through the night, and Keith can think of nothing better than to live eternally in this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's interested, I listened to/watched [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7HL5wYqAbU) of taiko drummers to remember what the performance I watched at a convention was like. It's a little more intense than I imagined but it's an amazing style of drumming that I really enjoy!


	5. Swimming/Hiking + Relaxation/Recreation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good lord I am such a SAP someone help me.
> 
> This chapter is a combo one for _Day 5: Swimming/Hiking_ and _Day 6: Relaxation/Recreation_ since I unfortunately just did not have the time to write on Friday :/ Honestly, though, having written it this way, I think it works better than trying to come up with 2 separate chapters. I hope you enjoy!

“So, when do I get to see where you live?”

Keith looks back over to see Shiro leaning against the kitchen counter, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a slice of toast with a gloopy red substance smothered on top -  _ jam _ , Keith’s mind supplies. Keith cocks his head wrinkling his nose as Shiro shoves the last bit in his mouth.

“Oh...I didn’t even think that you’d be interested in that. It’s much more exciting up here.”

Shiro gasps. “Keith, are you serious?” He grabs a chair from the table, turns it around, and sits down on it, chest pressing into the backing. “You’re a  _ merman _ , Keith. That’s pretty damn exciting to begin with! Plus,” he leans forward and presses a lightning-fast kiss into the corner of Keith’s mouth. “I want to learn all I can about you.”

A warm tingle runs down Keith’s spine. He hides his face behind his mug of tea. “Well, my kingdom is pretty deep and hidden, so I don’t think you would be able to visit it directly. But,” Keith says quickly when Shiro’s shoulders droop. “We can at least go swimming together.” He detaches a hand from where it’s wrapped around the pale purple mug and gently drags it across the line of Shiro’s cheekbone. Shiro’s hand catches Keith’s and pins it against the side of his face. The soft smile Keith has come to associate with Shiro stretches across his face.

“That sounds wonderful.”

*

Jumping into the sea feels like a breath of fresh air from a cramped room, like being curled up in Shiro’s arms sharing a blanket, like coming  _ home _ . Keith sighs in relief and barely winces at the pain of his tail returning, choosing instead to close his eyes and let himself sink into the soft sand, his hands resting behind his head. It’d been three days since he’d returned to the ocean, the longest stretch of time since he had first met Shiro, and despite how wonderful everything on land was, he knew that a huge part of himself belonged here. The call of the sea had finally disappeared, no longer whispering in the back of his mind. 

There was a loud splash and the water rippled around him. Keith opened one eye to see Shiro’s feet gripping the sand beside his fin. Grinning, Keith reached out and tickled the man’s ankle, laughing as he squirmed and jerked his feet back. Though muffled by the water, Keith could hear his breathless laughter and the groan of his name.

Keith sat up as Shiro leaned down, meeting each other nearly face-to-face. Shiro had removed his prosthetic as well as his shirt, his skin glowing golden in the light. Keith ran his wet hands through Shiro’s hair, smoothing down Shiro’s neck, across his shoulders to rest on his strong chest. He felt Shiro’s hand tracing down a similar path to cup the back of Keith’s neck, drawing him in close. 

The realization that he had his two greatest loves together in the same place reverberated down Keith’s body, making his fingertips tingle and his heart swell. Joy overwhelmed him, and that joy inspired him to surge up and capture Shiro’s lips, swallowing his grin and his soft grunt of surprise. Shiro easily melts under his touch; Keith’s tail brushes against Shiro’s calf with the roll of the waves towards the shore.

Shiro tilts his head and draws his hand up to caress Keith’s jaw, deepening their kiss as their mouths move together. Keith’s mind goes blank, swept up by the intensity of Shiro’s kiss. He’s really glad he doesn’t have legs at the moment, because he’s pretty sure they already would’ve given out on him. Warmth is starting to coil in Keith’s gut and he leans closer, asking for more, begging for more, holding onto Shiro for dear life.

Shiro pulls back for breath. His eyes crack open, revealing slivers of his warm grey eyes, cheeks flushed and beautiful, mouth red from their kiss. “You’re so beautiful in the water,” he murmurs, tucking a strand of hair behind Keith’s ear. Keith tries to chase Shiro’s lips but he slithers out of Keith’s grasp, kicking himself deeper into the water and laughing. He floats on his back and calls, “If you want more kisses, you’re going to have to catch me!”

It’s an empty threat and they both know it, but Keith grins from ear to ear and plays along. They chase each other gleefully until Shiro splashes Keith to get away, and suddenly they’re engaged in a full-on splash brawl. Shiro eventually gets a huge wave up his nose and Keith snorts, laughing so uncontrollably that he forgets to stay floating and the laugh disappears into a trail of bubbles. 

Eventually Keith can see some wear on Shiro’s face so they decide to take a break. Keith pulls himself out up the beach with Shiro close behind. He pecks Keith’s lips and, saying there’s something he needs to get, manages to run back the hill to his car despite his obvious exhaustion. Keith flops his tain in the sand and gazes out at the horizon. He’s suddenly struck with a feeling of deja vu, remembering the first day he and Shiro had met. He hides his mouth behind his hand to stifle a giggle. He’d never imagined that he could live like this, that there was someone who cared for him so much. A tear prickles at the corner of his eye. 

Heavy footsteps announce Shiro’s return and Keith turns to him, eyeing the cooler clutched in his hand.

“What’s that?” he asks, handing Shiro his prosthetic as he flops into the sand beside him. 

“I packed us some food from home. Thought we could eat and relax together after swimming.” Shiro pulled out a small checkered tablecloth and started placing containers of food on it, finishing with a thermos of tea and some cups. He handed a cup to Keith and they both dug in, talking and laughing in the fading light.

Once their meal was done and packed away, they laid down together, Shiro nestled into his shoulder, Keith’s arm reassuringly rubbing his bicep. “It was great today, swimming with you,” Shiro said, running his thumb along Keith’s collarbone. “I want to do it lots more. You’re captivating when you swim.”

Keith flushes and looks away, hand squeezing Shiro’s bicep, fin moving to rest across Shiro’s feet.

“Keith...I love you.”

Keith whips his head back around, eyes wide and vulnerable, mouth open in a mall “O” shape. “W-what?”

Shiro smiles his gentle smile. He claps Keith’s free hand in both of his own and squeezes. His eyes shine like how the sun sparkles on the sea. “I love you, Keith. I love you so much."

Keith kisses him then, pulling Shiro in with the hand around his shoulder. The tears that had been in his eyes earlier spring free in his happiness. He smothers Shiro in kisses all over his face, down his neck, on his shoulders - anywhere where his mouth can reach.

“I love you too, Shiro,” Keith breathes in the shell of his ear. “Until the ocean runs dry, and beyond.”

“Keith, oh my god, you’re such a sap!”

“Oh, yeah, like you aren’t!” 

They wrestle with each other a bit in the sand, playfully stealing kisses and using the spoken word to their advantage until they wear themselves out again and cuddle together once more. Keith feels the most at peace that he’s ever felt, surrounded by the ocean, the red sun, and the love of Shiro.

**Author's Note:**

> [Follow me on twitter where I neglect my writing and instead scream about Shiro and Sheith pretty much 24/7](https://www.twitter.com/dupergal)


End file.
